Seoul. The South Korean government and the ruling People's Power Party (PPP) have taken an important decision regarding electric vehicles on Sunday. Now it will be mandatory for electric vehicle manufacturers to disclose the battery brand information of all electric vehicles (EVs). The government and the PPP have agreed on its necessity.
The key decisions were taken during a meeting between senior government officials and PPP officials. It has also been agreed to launch a mandatory system for vehicle manufacturers to obtain government certification on battery safety for their EV models as soon as possible. Earlier this system was to be implemented from February next year.
The move comes amid safety concerns after a fire broke out in a Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle parked in an August parking lot, destroying a parking garage inside an apartment complex in Incheon, 27km (15 miles) from Seoul. The incident was so devastating that more than 100 cars were either completely damaged or destroyed.
According to the report, a few days after this incident, another such incident happened when an EV vehicle parked in the parking lot caught fire. After these incidents, the automakers themselves released information about the brand of batteries used in their electric vehicles. The government has also become alert after such incidents.
The government and the PPP also agreed to install EV fire extinguishing equipment at all fire stations across the country, conduct free safety checks of EV batteries every year, and distribute 90,000 units of “smart chargers” that prevent batteries from overcharging.
Meanwhile, leading vehicle manufacturers such as Hyundai Motor and Kia have introduced new, affordable but advanced EV models in the market. The companies hope that such models can accelerate the demand for electric vehicles in the world.
—
– /
Image Credit: Khas-Khabar.